Some prior-art ultrasound front-end circuits disclose an automatic controller for switching between the transmit mode and the receive mode. One exemplary device is a transformer-based transmitter with an integrated transmit/receive (TR) switch for switching between transmission and reception. Other prior-art transformer-based transmitters used multiple poles in the transformer to generate transmission signals at multiple output levels. In any case, a transfer is utilized as a TR switch and or a multi-level output generator.
Unfortunately, when a transformer was used in prior art attempts, high voltage loss and or high power loss is experienced in the high voltage transformer or the associated components such as a switch. Thus, it remains desirable to implement a high voltage transformer with a low voltage loss and a low power loss to be used in an ultrasound imaging system. In addition to the TR switch function and the multi-level output generator function, it is also desired that a transformer performs an additional function such as multiplexing among the transducer elements.